On June 19, 2018, Washington, D.C. voters approved Initiative 77. The initiative was designed to provide a universal minimum wage for both tipped and non-tipped workers. The initiative will: gradually increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2020; gradually increase the minimum wage for tipped employees so that they receive the same minimum Read more
On July 1, 2018, an updated equal pay law will go into effect in the state of Massachusetts. An Act to Establish Pay Equity will prevent pay discrimination for comparable work based on gender. The Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General has recently released a guidance to help employers prepare for the new law. The guidance Read more
Alaska is the latest state to eliminate subminimum wage for workers with disabilities. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers are allowed to pay wages less than the Federal minimum wage to workers who have disabilities for the work being performed. New Hampshire and Maryland were the first states in the country to eliminate this Read more
New Jersey is the latest state to pass an equal pay equity bill. On March 24, 2018, Governor Phil Murphy signed Senate Bill 104 also known as the Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act. A similar bill had been introduced by the New Jersey Legislature back in 2016. The equal pay and discriminatory pay practices Read more
Employers in the state of New York are required to update their labor law posters to be in compliance with new state changes. The changes include an increase in the minimum wage rate and updates concerning the New York Wage Deduction Law. Our readers may recall that during the 2016 legislative session, Senate Bill 6406 Read more
The City of Philadelphia has agreed to honor the decision to delay the Wage Equity Ordinance that was scheduled to go into effect May 23rd until the lawsuit for a preliminary injunction brought by the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia is resolved. Our readers may recall that on January 23, 2017, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Read more
Employees in the state of New York are now free to discuss their compensation in the workplace. The New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) has adopted new regulations that help clarify standards for limitations on inquiry, discussion, or disclosure of wages between employees. Under the regulations, employers cannot prohibit employees from inquiring about, discussing, or Read more
On January 23, 2017, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney signed Bill 160840 amending Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code. The new law prohibits employers from inquiring about wage history during the hiring process, unless required by state, federal, or local law for employment purposes. Wages is defined as “all earnings of an employee, regardless of whether Read more
On January 19, 2017, the Quebec Labour Minister Dominique Vien announced a series of annual minimum wage rate increases. Starting May 1, 2017, the province’s general minimum wage rate will increase from $10.75 per hour to $11.25 per hour. For tipped employees, the rate will increase from $9.20 per hour to $9.45 per hour. For Read more
With an increased number of technological advances in wage payment methods, many employers are now faced with uncertainty about which methods are permitted under wage and hour laws. On November 4, 2016, the state of Pennsylvania passed a law (S.B. 1265) to help address whether employers may issue payroll debit cards as a method of payment. Read more
